Letzte Meldung … 16.Dez.2010

Kleine Analyse von heute:

After a break, it seems there has been little action today. A video has surfaced of a thin procession of religious mourners in Tehran. According to sources in Iran there were few people on the streets, much fewer than pre-election Ashura celebrations. There are many reports of small protests, and maybe five to ten arrests throughout the entire city of Tehran. The level of activity is nowhere near what we’ve seen in some of the more organized protests in recent history.It seems that security forces lined the streets with men and vehicles in order to limit the size of processions. Judging from the video, most Iranians took one look at the police presence on the street and decided to stay home.

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Ende des Newsflash

TEHRAN 2)thousands Forces on the Streets from Emam Hosseyn Sq to Azadi Sq

[2:30PM Tehran Time]Video purportedly from today showing sparse procession of government-sanctioned Ashura mourners (no reason to doubt – weather matches, as does fact that very few people are in the streets considering the importance of Ashura – consistent with reports of very few mourners in the streets). (via SabzBrach):

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Bsalamati has provided a link to a blog purportedly of an eye-witness account from today in Tehran. The blogger states that Imam Hossein Square is “full of officers” and Hafte-Tir Square is “in the hands of Army forces and resources of the religious delegation”.The blogger suggests that people may come out later in the afternoon. We are treating this with caution.

09:17 GMT, 12:47 AM Tehran – According to a fairly reliable source in the Students Committee, a crowd of 150 mourners clashed with protesters on Janat Abad street in Tehran. Also, three people were arrested in Imam Hossein Square for honking their horns in protest. Though unconfirmed, this source has passed information on earlier that has since been verified.

The report claims that the mother of Sohrab Arabi, one of the well-known martyrs from the protests the followed the 2009 rigged presidential election, was “arrested and interrogated” for several hours before being let go.This is quite interesting. It fits with the pattern that the regime has shown in dealing with the “well-knowns” of the movement. The regime has gone out of its way to intimidate and harass Mousavi, Karroubi, and others, but has stopped short of actually arresting them. The same goes for the family of Neda Agha Soltan, the young woman who we all saw bleed to death before our eyes from the videos that came out of Iran during one of the protests that followed Khamenei’s declaration of war on the protesters. Her mother, father, sister and brother were all interviewed for a documentary that was widely seen internationally, against the wishes of the regime. They have not been touched.Harassing the families of the green martyrs, and harassing the green movement spokepeople and leaders, as well as jailing and torturing various dissidents and journalists are all part of a combined but disjointed approach by the regime to control people through fear of reprisals. Not sure how long that will last.

Mourners and Basij clash in Isfahan and Shahrekord on Tasua (Dec. 15, 2010)

At 9 pm on Wednesday, December 15, clashes occurred between people and Bassij forces near the home of dissident cleric, Ayatollah Taheri. This clash occurred when Bassij forces violently entered the mourning group and started using profane language and chanting ‘death to anti-Velayate Faqih (anti-Supreme Leader meaning Khamenei),’ and in response the people started chanting ‘death to dictator’ and ‘Abbas (referring to a revered Shiite saint) oust Khamenei’. A number of security force cars immediately entered the scene and arrested at least 10 people. A 23 year old girl was also severely beaten by security forces and is currently hospitalized. Also, clashes have taken place between groups of mourning Dervishes and security forces in Shahrekord. The 150 mourning Dervishes intended to leave their station at about 4 pm on December 15. They had put up a large picture of Dervish leaders on their mourning banner. Security forces interfered and did not allow them to leave their station. Despite this, they left their station which led to clashes with security forces. This clash ended when 10 elderly Dervishes intervened. Also on December 15, at about 9 pm a number of young people in beat up five security forces from the Shah Abdolazim Police Station in Shahr-e Rey. The young protesters broke the windows of a police car and chanted ‘death to Khamenei’. All the government forces who were beaten up by the people were scared and confused and were not able to show a reaction.

08:53 GMT, 12:23 AM Tehran – Multiple sources are reporting that there are helicopters circling the streets of Tehran. In the past, helicopters have been used to coordinate efforts of security forces and to hunt down protesters. According to one source, riot vehicles have been dispatched to Imam Hussein Square, where security is very tight, though security at all major squares and avenues is greatly increased. Multiple sources have described the scene as “martial law,” so I guess it is of little surprise that opposition activity seems very limited. Also, according to Jaras, the families of murdered protesters have been threatened and harassed by Iranian security forces while they were visiting the graves of their loved ones.

07:24 GMT, 10:54 AM Tehran – Some news is coming in fast and furious, all unconfirmed. There are reports of sporadic clashes in Tehran, especially near fire trucks that have been stationed to control crowds. We’ll wait and see on these. Josh Shahryar is also receiving reports of protests.

Josh Shahryar had received reports of clashes at various locations yesterday. A different source has given me some new details. There are reports that there were massive clashes between basiji and protesters in Isfahan last night at around 9 PM, near the home of dissident cleric Ayatollah Tahiri. According to the report, at least 10 were arrested and a young girl was hospitalized after being beaten. There were also clashes in Shahre Kord, in the Western part of Iran, south of Tehran.

According to my source, there was also activity in one of Iran’s prisons last night,

According to reports, the prison guards were met with resistance from prisoners when they tried to raid cellblock 1 to conduct their periodic search. Prisoners closed the entrances of cellblock and prevented the gaurds from entering. This measure by prisoners which is unprecedented went on until 8 pm on December 15.

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0706 GMT

Tehran’s atmosphere seems to be tense according to several opposition blogs. Security forces are positioned in key parts of the city and the government like before doesn’t look to be taking any chances. There were also unconfirmed reports of helicopters flying over Tehran – but let me remind my readers: Tehran is a city of several million people. Helicopters regularly fly over the city. This isn’t really anything worth mentioning – but since many people told me about it, I wished to clarify.

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[11:30AM Tehran Time]

James Miller reports on his site, DissectedNews.com, that some clashes have been reported on the eve of Ashura, in Esfahan last night near the home of dissident cleric Ayatollah Taheri.

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11:00 pm RT @Bsalamati: Some are reporting of a tense security atmosphere in tehran; esp. around Imam Hossein sq.. Surprised?

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[10:05AM Tehran Time]

Radio Zamaneh reports that Mohammad Nourizad has been vomiting blood, likely due to the fact that he is on a hunger strike to protest his unjust detention by the regime. Hunger strikes are an extreme measure that political prisoners in Iran often take as a last resort to try to get attention on their cases.

Another journalist, also a political prisoner in Iran since the rigged election last year, Issa Saharkhiz (father of our friend Mehdi Saharkhiz) is said to be in critical condition.

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0753 GMT

Rahe Sabz reports that the government has taken every precaution to avoid the embarassment of last year. Families of slain protesters have been sternly told beforehand that no public mourning is to take place. The government has also asked media not to cover any such mourning sessions if they are held at all.

11:24.pm Labor Groups call for protests on Ashura in Iran “Death to this deceptive government”

A group of laborers of Khozestan Pipe-making factories, Rajaee Dock of Bandar Abbas, Alborz Chinaware factory of Qazvin, Iran Radiator Factory, Sarcam Filter Production Factory in Tehran and the Activists of Guilds for Justice have issued statements calling on Iranians to participate in Ashura’s protest demonstrations. In these statements it’s written:

On Ashura we will all rise and cry loud as ‘the victory is God’s and the victory is close; death to this deceptive government’, ‘death to dictator’ and ‘we will never surrender to oppression’.

Bus drivers in Bandar Abbas (south of Iran) also called for uprising on Ashura. In their statement they called on all drivers, laborers, fishermen and other sectors of the society in Bandar Abbas to vastly be present during Tasua and Ashura demonstrations to fight the tyrant and the oppressor ruling Iran. They wrote: “Our nation is in a condition in which it needs to follow Imam Hussein’s path because of the oppression and despotism imposed on all people especially workers, drivers, nurses and fishermen. The victory is God’s, and the victory is Ours. Death to this deceptive government.”